US Catholics support gay marriage by a larger margin than ordinary Americans despite Church teachings that forbid it, a new poll out Friday has found.

The Quinnipiac University poll found 54 percent of Catholics support same-sex marriage while just 38 percent are opposed, compared to a 47-43 percent margin among all American voters.

Both margins represent a reversal from the 36-55 percent opposition among all voters the group found as recently as July 2008.

“Catholic voters are leading American voters toward support for same-sex marriage,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the polling institute.

US Catholics are more ambivalent when its comes to the Church, with 52 percent saying it is moving in the right direction, while the same percentage says Church leaders are out of touch with their views.

Fifty-five percent said the next pope should move the Church in a new direction, while 38 percent said he should maintain the Church as it is.

“Looking at all adult Catholics, different from the wider survey of all registered voters, we see a conflicted group,” Brown said.

Those surveyed said priests should be allowed to marry by a margin of 62-30 percent and 64 percent said the next pope should relax rules on contraception, compared to 28 percent who were opposed.

Eighty-one percent of Catholic respondents said the Church should do more to combat child sex abuse by priests.

Quinnipiac surveyed 497 Catholic adults from February 27 to March 4, with a margin of error of 4.4 percent.

The same-sex marriage question was asked of 1,944 registered voters nationwide, with a margin of error of 2.2 percent.

I don't want a gay marriage, so I don't have one. I will defend with my life the right of my Church to not be forced into officiating gay marriage. But as long as a government mantains a stranglehold on how domestic partnerships are given benefits, they can define it however they want and it has nothing to do with me.

The new Pope is stressing catechism-- education of the Catholic people. The vast majority of American Catholics are wholly ignorant of Catholic teaching. It's hard to agree or disagree with the Church when they don't even know what the truth is.

I grew up Catholic. In many ways I'm still culturally Irish Catholic smack dab in the middle of an Irish neighborhood in Chicago. The majority of people here are Catholic.

Despite this, nearly everyone (with exceptions of the older people) supports marriage equality. We are very well aware of the Church's stance. We understand the catechism and the teachings. We also are aware that the government has no business discriminating against people.

People can believe whatever they want in regards to religion. What they don't have the right to do is legislate their religious beliefs into a secular government that covers everyone, not just the followers of that religion.

Also, I don't know where Quinnipiac gets folks to respond to polls, but they are based in the east coast, where some of the most liberal Catholics reside.

Cafeteria Catholics frustrate me.... if you don't want to accept Catholic teaching, there are PLENTY of other Christian denominations to choose from: Don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.